“The new testament Law” Instead of being dead to the law it seems we have just tried to create a new law.

In proverbs it says:

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Prov 16:25

And in the book of galatians it says:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.        Romans 10:1-3

In the gospel of John, he is very clear:
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17

When we start walking with Jesus we can sometimes go back to following the law in certain areas. Especially if we need something really desperately and the Lord says, no, or wait. We often unkowingly (or knowingly) try to do the right thing to get what we need and want, apart from Jesus. We stop following the leading of the Holy Spirit, but often we don’t realize it, because we can use scriptures when we do it. We can use scriptures to make formulas to get things we want, when we do that we go down a path of dead works.

I heard Zoanne Wilkie one time tell the story of the man that saw Jesus heal a man by putting mud on his eyes and then opened up a “miracle mud” concession stand. That is a funny story but sometimes the church does the same thing not so obviously. Formulas don’t work with Jesus cause then you’re following a set of rules, not Him. He loves us so much that he won’t let our little formulas work so that we’ll get back to following Him. If the formulas do work, even if miracles follow, it is still a formula and not following Jesus, walking in His Spirit. Sometimes the zeal of a church is strong, they have a lot of emotion and excitement, and seem to be “on fire” for the Lord, but they are working their faith through the law.

The law is a list of commandments and ordinances and it says the man that does them shall live by them and if he does the things contained in the law he will be blessed by God.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;  A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:  And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.        Deut 11:26-28

The law is impossible to follow with perfection.
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.         James 2:10

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:      Romans 3:10

You may think you don’t have to worry about the law, it was given to the children of Israel through Moses, but God wrote His law on everyone’s hearts. It is what we feel when our conscience bothers us. We may have gone so far that we don’t hear our conscience anymore but we can all still remember a time when we felt bad about something we did in the past.

…After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…      Jer 31:33

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)    Romans 2:14-15

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane…   1 Tim 1:8-9

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.      Heb 7:19

If we give our lives to Jesus and are filled with His Holy Spirit,we are no longer under the law. By the Spirit of God we walk following Jesus and He fulfills the law through us.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.      2 Cor 3:3

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.             Gal 3:23-26

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.           Romans 10:4

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Gal 5:18

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal 4:4-6

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.    Gal 2:16

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.     Gal 2:20-21

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.    Gal 5:5

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.  The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.     Psalms 138:6-8

The old testament contains the law, and Paul spoke of the law and about the saved disciples who were wanting to practice circumcision which was given as part of the law. If we want to be justified by following the law we are fallen from grace. This applies to all areas of our lives, not just practicing circumcision.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Gal 5:1-6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Gal 5:6

After the law, in the fullness of time, God sent Jesus, who leads, teaches, redeems, comforts, and quickens His people. It seems sometimes as though the church has, rather than follow Jesus, created the “new testament law”. It is easier to follow a set of principles, rules, and formulas than having to follow Jesus every day. His command though, is to follow Him.

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Phil 3:9-12

the following blog posts in this section are some examples of church errors that hopefully you can  avoid, I got involved in lots of them and it was no fun getting out of them. I call this section the “New Testament Law”